Monday, April 28, 2008

Coming home--! And while my own landscaping is a far cry from that I left in the Bahamas, despite the neglect I'm guilty of by choosing to paint instead of weed, my perennials, especially with the gift of rain these last weeks, have thrived despite me! LOL

My Landy Banks Rose (once yellow, now white in flower) -- was all abloom against its fence .. filling the air with a sweet, sweet rose fragrance.

After I put laundry in the wash and did a few inside chores, I decided to spend a bit of time sketching my own landscaping -- plein air. It was relaxing and fun and rewarding with such pleasant weather and perfume!

We spent the majority of the weekend taking advantage of the weather (and a bit of guilt! LOL) to begin to tackle the weeds, burn pile (now that the ban has been lifted and rain was forecast) to get our property tidied......

Mercy, we are both sore today -- but oh my gracious -- I feel so much better walking among those flowers!

During the few moments I had toward the end of our visit, I tried to capture some of the flowers of the Island. I couldn't identify the red/orange ones -- but they had such distinct YELLOW ANTERS that folded over the flowers like a cross -- very very neat! I'd look down on the flowering shrub and see all these 'x's' -- quite a sight! Oleander blooming and bougainvillia ... and so many of our (NC) typical houseplants used throughout the outdoors ... lovely to see!

One of the many gifts of this trip was an hour-long Swedish massage! Oh my gracious!! Both M and I took turns watching T while we relaxed during this incredible treatment!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

My second sad attempt at one of these spectacular falls. From my journal:

"Lunch - M & T still out when I get back to our room. I pick up a sandwich and head downstairs to sit by yet another falls. I sketch as I eat -- and a miracle - M&T find me! We eat lunch midst more Bahamian songs and music. I paint, and M tells me of their water adventures. Clouds gather overhead. I sketch a bit more while T&M head to the pool .....It's been a most relaxing sketch time. I see so much need to practice more plein air, swift sketching ... and so much more. ...."

I sat in the shade of a trash can (okay, it was a pretty one! LOL) to sketch this.

From my journal:

"Weather - glorious! We find a less crowded area past the Marina, T and M test the waters while I sketch. They vist the children's pool and I listen to the jetski owners hawk sales. Sea gulls cry and boats and wind surfers cross my view of a glorious blue ocean and ultramarine sky ...."

"A huge aquarium/lagoon rings this hotel; a huge slide, pool, eateries all over, fountains and falls, exquisite landscaping, blue sky and water, sea grapes and palms, all of our 'houseplants' used as perennials and living in the warmth and sunshine. Music plays everywhere and tourists with accents from US regions almost assault my ears as I expect a native English lilt - few Nassau natives in the resort save for those we meet in service areas.

Seagulls squawk and the squeal of children and splashing water - all mix with the heady sunshine.

On the taxi from the airport to the Atlantis Resort, I asked the driver what he likes best about Nassau - his home island. "No hurry" he tells me - "No rush" - and we begin to relax too into the gift of this trip ...."

Saturday, April 26, 2008

I sketched this view twice to try to get the perspective close!!! LOL It was an incredibly beautiful sight -- rainbow colored condos, water and those ever-present coconut palms. I was also trying to list all the incredible flowers that grew there or I saw ...

Again, I had such a challenging time sketching during this trip -- so much beauty in front of me, using a smaller palette and paper, and doing so in bits and pieces as time permitted ... but what I enjoyed most about these sketches was the 'focused attention' on the view before me -- that will be experienced again and again as I re-read my journal ...

For my sketching on this trip, I went back to a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" Raffine journal -- and using a waterbrush. Since working over the last months on a 9 x 12" pad, this really felt cramped!!! LOL But because of space and time limitations, the smaller size and waterbrush really worked well.

We left a bit late for the airport and wound up running for the plane -- but we made it and had a chance to relax during the second leg of our trip. T was in my daughter's lap for the trip and the 3 of us sat in one area of seating, so space was limited for any sketching -- I still managed to get a bit of one of the sleeping passengers...

Friday, April 25, 2008

The trip to Paradise (Island, Bermuda Nassau) seems like a dream! I'm ever so grateful for photographs that can help recapture the memories of those five days -- that now, sitting amid laundry and catching up on emails -- seem like merely the myth upon which our resort was created.

Atlantis Resort (http://www.atlantis.com/) covers acres upon acres of land -- with accommodations, dining, sculpture, landscaping all of that same mythical proportion and beauty. I'm posting just a few of the photos I was able to capture ... and I'll share some of my journal of the trip ...

It was all I could hope it could have been except for one thing -- I couldn't sketch worth a darn! LOL I find that happens frequently to me ... when I do have something so magical in front of me, something that moves me to tears, my pencil just won't cooperate!~ LOL Frustrating indeed! But I did manage to sketch a bit and I'll be posting those as soon as more of my chores are done ...

In the meantime, I am happy to be home --- ! Grateful for a safe trip -- and still awe-struck by the sheer beauty of so much incredible architecture, artwork (including 4 pieces by Chihuly!!!), magnificent landscaping and water features .. and the sheer joy of having this time with my dear daughter and granddaughter. Such a special award for her hard work, and honor for me to share this with her.

Atlantis – My gracious --- what an incredible place!! Myth come to life to be sure --- the beauty – dazzling! The culmination of a dream and the hard hard work of the person who designed it, the craftsmen who created it, and the people who maintain and service it. What a SYMBOL it is for the award Michelle (and her colleagues) won! As I wrote my daughter this morning, her dream of success, her achievement … was brought to life in sun, water, palm trees, food, and music in this Atlantis Paradise!

While the grandchildren played around me last week, I sat on the ground and sketched a patch of iris brightening the front area of our drive. When they went home, I sat back in the same spot and painted them trying again to keep a loose, playful style.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

1. While it's not anything I've been shy about, I do absolutely LOVE Italy -- and I seem to find more and more places, besides my beloved Sicily, I wishto visit there! From the people to the food to the incredible light, art, history and countryside, I have never experienced a coming 'home' as I did when I visited Sicily .... I absolutely must return to Italy -- to Sicily --- soon!

2. I am one of the few folks I know who really really really LOVES black licorice!

3. And I"m just as smitten with mints of all kinds. In fact, one year, my garden consisted of over 20 different pots of mint -- peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, lemon mint, pineapple mint, etc., etc. Yes, I really love the stuff!!! LOL

4. While I've always thought of myself as a 'petite' lady, lately when I see photos of myself with other people, I am struck by how really SHORT I am!!! SIGH! At 5'1" you'd think after all these years, I'd have a realistic view of myself. !!! LOL But when I remarked to my coworkers after viewing a publicity shot of myself with a donor just how surprised I was to see how very SHORT I was, they burst out laughing --- wondering why I was so surprised!! oh well, go figure. !!! LOL

5. After working for almost 7 years building an Arboretum (with a long way to go), I RARELY have a chance to garden any more! I LOVE plants and flowers -- but I've become the proverbial shoeless shoe-makers daughter -- I'm growing more weeds than annuals ... sigh!

So now -- for the next five --I tend to be a bit uncomfortable doing this -- so, would five of my favorite (and willing friends), kindly take up the challenge.....???

I always thought that once I learned how to sketch, I'd spend endless days exploring nature and recording by word and image those things I found interesting or in bloom. But 'time' hasn't quite cooperated with this ideal, and so I try to capture a bit of what I see each day ... and especially those things I love -- like flowers.

Last weekend, in between chores and grandchildren, I collected some flowers from our property that filled our home with the most heavenly scents -- and I painted them as time permitted -- heather, fragrant viburnum, krigia and that elusive but strongest of beautiful fragrances -- tea olive.

I hope the cold nights we've had all week have spared these beauties so I can enjoy them once again when I get home tonight!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Everywhere I look the dogwoods have announced spring, even though the temps this morning are in the low 40s .. brrr. I wanted to create an image of this beautiful tree with all the softness I could muster -- so I tried a mixed media --- watercolor and white India ink for the dogwood bracts ...

Our school is redoing some of its computer filters and I"m hitting a ton of snags ... so I hope to be back to normal by this afternoon ... sigh.

Monday, April 14, 2008

The photo I used as a reference for this was much lighter in feeling, but as I continued to work on capturing those seemingly elusive reflections, I kept adding more and more darks ... and so what was in essense a light, spring scene, seems more in finished work, to be almost a dense swamp! LOL

Still, I did finally get a weeping tree to look a lot better ... and the practicing of reflections has been fun.

Back to a busy work week -- and the plant sale. Though temperatures this week will be on the cool side, at least according to the latest weather forecast, the plant sale date should be warm and sunny -- perfect weather for planting!

My dear son is absolutely joyful over his motorcycle. All the years he lived at home, I was too fearful to allow him to have such a vehicle. But since my sweet son turns 32 this week, is married with two of the most precious children (Emily and Nick), there was little protest I could make!

So today, when he asked me just WHEN I was going to go for a ride, (he's had the bike for over a year!!! LOL), I thought it was TIME ....(egads!) LOL

So, Mike fitted me with a helmet, I climbed aboard, and off he went for a 10 minute fly through the countryside.

I've been on only one other motorcycle before in my life -- hmmmmm, maybe 30 years ago! LOL It was much larger and with a second passenger seat. This was like flying on a pulse wave ... and I was hoping all the while Mike could breathe as I clung to him with all the strength I had! LOL

As we passed trees in a blur, other cars, and the air about took my helmet from my head, I think I prayed all the prayers of a year in those 10-15 minutes! LOL

When we arrived back at his house, I was a tad shakey.... but had to admit it was fun ....! (But truly NOT something I would like to do on a daily basis! LOL These old bones aren't as brave as they once were! LOL)

And as I drove home with my ton of steel surrounding me, I offered up even more prayers that our heavenly father, and my son's grandfather whom I believe shares that sacred place, to please keep an eye on this beloved child of mine ....especially as he makes his way to and fro on this motorized vibration!